Villagers take a stand, say no to plastic bags

Children of Silana Village in Dawasamu, Tailevu yesterday. Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU

SAY no to plastic.

That's the stance taken by eight villages in the District of Dawasamu in the Province of Tailevu.

The eight villages — namely Silana, Driti, Delakado, Natadradave, Nabualau, Luvunavuaka, Nataleira and Nasinu — have made a commitment to support Government's stand on reducing the use of plastic bags.

Also supporting the cause are two settlements, Lomolomolevu and Veilolo.

Dawasamu district representative to the Tailevu Provincial Council, Sanaila Rokotuivuna, said the village of Vorovoro, which was part of the district of Sawakasa, had also taken up the initiative.

He said the idea of promoting the "say no to plastic" campaign would include educating villagers on keeping their surroundings clean.

They would also promote healthy living and disease free communities.

"Here at Dawasamu, we recycle almost everything with the idea that we try and do away with burying rubbish or burning them, we are against the idea of the Naboro landfill, so we try and recycle everything," Mr Rokotuivuna said.

He said bottles, cans, plastic bags were all placed in different sacks located in all villages, after they were cleaned properly.

"If you see the big sacks which has tin, there isn't much flies or insects because it is cleaned properly and placed in its different sacks, as well as the bottles so the villagers know when they want bottles for ice water or whatever they want the bottles for, they go to the sack and get it from there," Mr Rokotuivuna said.

He said apart from that, villagers were also encouraged to have a backyard garden per household.

This is to reduce the need to buy food from supermarkets.

He said another initiative involved recycling glassware and other ceramic items, turning them into floor tiles.

In the village of Silana, Laita Wati proudly showed how broken plates, cups, other glassware had been converted to tiles that decorated the floor of her toilet.

Mr Rokotuivuna said women had also been educated on being creative with wrappers of lollies, and other confectionery, turning them into coin bags and purses.